The annual book-giving and Forest School opening

The Prime Warden, James Rothwell, was delighted to attend the annual Dyers’ Company School Assembly at Boutcher Primary School during the last week of the summer term.

The assembly showcased an impressive array of student talent, featuring music ensembles, poems and prayers, reviews of recent school trips, and engaging dramatic performances. The school choir sang two beautiful pieces, and Year 6 students gave a spirited and moving performance of a song from their recent production of The Wizard of Oz.

The Dyers’ Company has long supported the school’s arts programme, and in keeping with tradition, each student received a book of their choice as a gift from the Company to mark the end of the academic year.

In addition, the day marked the official opening of the new Forest School at Boutcher Primary School – a project that has been two and a half years in the making. What was once a disused and overgrown green corner of the playground, filled with old equipment and debris, has been transformed into a vibrant outdoor learning space.

At the heart of the Forest School is a spectacularly large carved wooden table with matching benches, all sheltered beneath an elegant arched canopy – spacious enough to accommodate an entire class. The area also features a meandering willow tunnel, a newly established pond already teeming with life, and plans are underway to plant natural dye plants. A striking 55-square-metre mural completes the transformation, visually extending the forest across the space.

We look forward to seeing the many ways this beautiful new space will enrich the lives of Boutcher students for years to come.